Newly elected Pope Francis (left) met his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict, for lunch, the first time such a meeting has been possible for more than 600 years. The new leader of the Roman Catholic Church is usually elected after the death of his predecessor, and there is no public record of any previous meeting between an incumbent pope and a former pope.

A boy sprays coloured foam during Holi celebrations near the Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Holi, also known as the festival of colours, heralds the beginning of spring.

US Secretary of State John Kerry (second from right) walks across the tarmac of Baghdad International Airport with his staff on an unannounced trip to Iraq. Mr Kerry held talks with Prime Minister Nouri Maliki in a bid to boost co-operation over the Syria conflict.

About 30 people have died in a fire at the Ban Mae Surin camp housing Burmese refugees in northern Thailand. More than 3,000 refugees from Burma - mostly from the Karen minority - live at the camp. Those who lost their homes are being temporarily housed in tents.

Former Foreign Secretary David Miliband has stepped down as a Labour MP and quit UK politics for a role with an aid charity in New York.

Radavan Zivny works on a sand sculpture of Gollum at this year's Hollywood themed Weston-super-Mare Sand Sculpture festival.

Spain's forward Pedro (right) scored the winning goal against France during their World Cup 2014 qualifying football match at the Stade de France.

Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck (left), zoological director of Hagenbeck Zoo, and Russian keepers' Anna and Ivan Pavlov, are seen with Odin, one of four walruses brought to the zoo from Moscow.

US President Barack Obama headed a ball while hosting a ceremony at the White House to honour players and coaches from the National Hockey League Stanley Cup-winning Los Angeles Kings and the Major League Soccer champions Los Angeles Galaxy.

The government of Cyprus defended a 10bn-euro bailout deal to save its banks from collapse, amid warnings the island faces deep recession. The agreement protects small savers but depositors with more than 100,000 euros ($130,000; £85,000), many of whom are Russian, face big losses.